CITY OF FOSTER CITY/
ESTERO MUNICIPAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
REGULAR MEETING OF MAY 2, 2022
MINUTES
CALL TO ORDER OF CITY COUNCIL/EMID BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The Regular Meeting of May 2, 2022 of the City Council of the City of Foster City, sitting as said Council and as ex officio the Board of Directors of the Estero Municipal Improvement District (EMID), was called to order at 6:30 p.m. by Mayor/President Richa Awasthi.
Pursuant to Governor Newsom’s Executive Order N-29-20, as amended through Order N-08-21, the meeting was held as a hybrid meeting.
ROLL CALL
The Communications Director/City Clerk/District Secretary called the roll:
PRESENT: Councilmembers/ex officio Directors Jon Froomin, Sanjay Gehani, Sam Hindi, Patrick Sullivan, and Mayor/President Richa Awasthi.
ABSENT: None.
STAFF PRESENT: Edmund Suen, Interim City/District Manager and Finance Director, Ben Stock, City Attorney/District Legal Counsel; Jennifer Phan, Interim Deputy City Manager; Marlene Subhashini, Community Development Director; Maria Saguisag-Sid, Human Resources Director; Tracy Avelar, Police Chief; Louis Sun, Public Works Director; Rob Lasky, IT Manager; Yelena Cappello, Deputy City Clerk; Vanessa Brannon, Management Analyst; Shuli Chen, Video Technician and Priscilla Schaus, Communications Director/City Clerk/District Secretary.
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING MAY 2022 AS "ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH".
Mayor Awasthi presented a proclamation recognizing May 2022 as "Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month" to Wayne Lee, President of the San Mateo API Caucus and Steve Okamoto.
PROCLAMATION RECOGNIZING MAY 2022 AS "JEWISH AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH".
Councilmember Sullivan presented a proclamation recognizing May 2022 as “Jewish American Heritage Month” to Doron Shapira, Cantor of Peninsula Sinai Congregation in Foster City.
PROCLAMATION HONORING RICK WYKOFF FOR HIS SERVICE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION.
Councilmember Gehani presented a proclamation honoring Rick Wykoff for his service on the Planning Commission to Rick Wykoff.
PUBLIC
The following people addressed the City Council via email regarding geese depredation:
1. Christina DeRespiris;
2. Steve Weiss; and
3. Ann Lee.
The following people addressed the City Council via teleconference regarding geese depredation:
1. Doreen Frega, Animal Protection League of New Jersey; and
2. Erik Allen.
Astrid addressed the City Council via teleconference regarding retaining access to the Mickelson Arthritis and Rehabilitation Center pool for elderly San Mateo County residents.
CONSENT CALENDAR
Motion by Councilmember/Director Sullivan, seconded by Councilmember/Director Hindi, and carried unanimously by roll call vote, 5-0-0, approving the following items on the City/District Consent Calendar:
City/EMID Consent Calendar
1. Minutes of Regular Meeting of April 18, 2022;
2. Minutes of City Council and Planning Commission Joint Special Meeting of April 21, 2022;
3. City Ordinance No. 647, “An Ordinance of the City of Foster City Regarding Police Department Acquisition and Use of Military Equipment Pursuant to Assembly Bill 481 and Government Code Section 7070 Et Seq. and Approving the Military Equipment Use Policy (First Reading April 18, 2022);”
4. City Resolution No. 2022-43, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Foster City Authorizing the Award of Construction Contract to Columbia Electric, Inc. In the Amount of $2,831,134.25 for the New Traffic Signals at Various Locations Project (CIP 301-681); and an Additional Appropriation in the Amount of $356,471 to CIP 301-681;”
5. City Resolution No. 2022-44, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Foster City Authorizing the Mayor to Sign a School Crossing Guard Agreement for the 2022-2023 School Year;” and
6. City Resolution No. 2022-45, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Foster City Amending the Policy Statement of the Parks and Recreation Committee to Change the Meeting Location from the Sunfish Room, Foster City Recreation Center, 650 Shell Boulevard to the Conference Room, Council Chambers, 620 Foster City Boulevard.”
NEW BUSINESS
ESTABLISHING A CITIZENS SUSTAINABILITY ADVISORY COMMITTEE. CITY RESOLUTION NO. 2022-46. MINUTE ORDER NO. 1853.
Management Analyst Brannon presented the staff report.
Discussion ensued.
Motion by Councilmember Hindi, seconded by Councilmember Gehani, and carried unanimously by roll call vote, 5-0-0, adopting City Resolution No. 2022-46, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Foster City Establishing the Citizens Sustainability Advisory Committee” with amendments to indicate that all members are voting members, and to stagger membership terms.
Motion by Councilmember Hindi, seconded by Councilmember Gehani, and carried unanimously by roll call vote, 5-0-0, adopting Minute Order No. 1853, appointing Councilmember Hindi as the Liaison and Mayor Awasthi as the Alternate Liaison to the Citizens Sustainability Advisory Committee and updating the Council Liaisons List.
RESOLUTIONS FOR ADOPTION
ADOPTING A PROCLAMATIONS AND CERTIFICATES POLICY. CITY RESOLUTION NO. 2022-47.
Communications Director/City Clerk Schaus presented the staff report.
Discussion ensued.
Motion by Councilmember Hindi, seconded by Councilmember Gehani, and carried by roll call vote, 3-2-0, Vice Mayor Froomin and Councilmember Gehani voted “no”, adopting City Resolution No. 2022-47, “A Resolution of the City Council of the City of Foster City Adopting a Proclamations and Certificates Policy” with amendments to clarify that in the event that a certificate or proclamation request is not approved, the City Manager will route the request to other Councilmembers to determine if there is an interest in issuing the proclamation or certificate.
COMMUNICATIONS
CITY/DISTRICT WARRANT OF DEMANDS. NO ACTION TAKEN.
City/District Warrants of Demands were Processed and Issued on April 14, 2022, and ACH were Processed on April 14, 2022.
COUNCIL/BOARD STATEMENTS AND REQUESTS, COUNCIL LIAISON REPORTS,
AND CITY/DISTRICT MANAGER REPORTS
Interim City/District Manager Suen stated there is a City Council Special Meeting on May 9 regarding the Review of the Preliminary Budget for FY 2022-2023 and the Five-Year Financial Plan for FY 2022-2023 to FY 2026-2027.
Councilmember/Director Sullivan stated he attended the Congestion Management & Environmental Quality Committee (CMEQ) on April 25, and the Airport Land Use Committee meeting on April 28. He also discussed the tragedy of fentanyl poisoning and requested to issue a proclamation on substance abuse awareness.
Councilmember/Director Gehani wished the Muslim community Eid Mubarak. He stated he attended the Commute.org Board of Directors meeting on April 21 and the 2022 San Mateo County Chamber Progress Seminar from April 29-May 1 with Mayor Awasthi and Councilmember Hindi.
Councilmember/Director Hindi stated today commemorates the Eid al-Fitr, an Islamic holiday marking the conclusion of the month of Ramadan. He stated he attended the Housing Endowment and Regional Trust (HEART) board meeting on April 27, Peninsula Clean Energy Board of Directors meeting on April 28, and San Mateo County Chamber Progress Seminar from April 29-May 1 and they discussed topics including ending homelessness, income gap, and education.
RECESS. The meeting recessed at 8:03 p.m. and reconvened at 8:04 p.m.
Vice Mayor/Vice President Froomin requested to agendize a discussion on reforming the campaign finance ordinance for this upcoming election cycle before the end of May.
Councilmember Gehani supported the request. Since an additional Councilmember did not support the request, and the request will not be agendized. Vice Mayor Froomin also requested to agendize a discussion on the City’s sign ordinance. City Attorney Stock stated that his office is working on the sign ordinance; and it will be agendized for City Council consideration in the coming weeks. Vice Mayor Froomin asked that the City Council re-consider the decision to not financially support the Sister City relationship with Inagi City, Japan. Councilmember Gehani supported the request. Since an additional Councilmember did not support the request, the request will not be agendized. Vice Mayor Froomin also requested a review of the process of placing items on the agenda and referenced Municipal Code section 2.80.070. Councilmember Gehani and Councilmember Sullivan supported the agendizing of the item, and it will be agendized at an upcoming meeting.
Mayor/President Awasthi she stated that she attended the 2022 San Mateo County Chamber Progress Seminar. She also stated that Foster City is part of the San Mateo County Mental Health initiative. She also confirmed that if a Councilmember requests an item to be agendized, it will be agendized if there is support from two additional Councilmembers.
CLOSED SESSION
Mayor/President Awasthi recessed the meeting into Closed Session for:
1. Public Employee Appointment (Government Code §54957) Title: City Manager; and
2. Report Out from Closed Session.
Meeting recessed into Closed Session at 8:27 p.m. and reconvened at 9:45 p.m.
City Attorney Stock reported that no action was taken in Closed Session.
ADJOURNMENT
Hearing no objection from the City Council/EMID Board, Mayor/President Awasthi adjourned the meeting. Meeting adjourned at 9:45 p.m.
From: Christina DeRespiris
To: Foster City Public Comment
Cc: [email protected]; Yelena Cappello; Priscilla Schaus; Laurie Rith; Rob Lasky; Aaron Siu; Austin Walsh
Subject: Fw: Save Our Wild Geese
Date: Monday, April 25, 2022 1:34:35 PM
I understand that the Foster City Council has elected to kill geese in the area. Please look into and pursue non-lethal options instead of killing Canada geese, who are our wild animal neighbors. Contact the National Goose Protection Coalition at [email protected] for new
non-lethal options to remedy any conflicts with geese.
Christina DeRespiris
[email protected]
From: Steve Weiss
To: Foster City Public Comment
Cc: [email protected]; Yelena Cappello; Priscilla Schaus; Laurie Rith; Rob Lasky; Aaron Siu; Austin Walsh
Subject: Canadian geese
Date: Monday, May 2, 2022 2:36:07 PM
Council,
I regularly walk by Marina Lagoon and admire, often photographing, our diverse wildlife. Canadian geese are known to attack ducklings, in addition to the other problems they cause. I know the city has tried other alternatives, which did not work, so I will support you 100% if you need to resort to lethal alternatives. It’s unfortunate, but nothing else has worked. Thank you.
From: Ann Lee
To: Foster City Public Comment
Cc: [email protected]; [email protected]; Yelena Cappello; Priscilla Schaus; Laurie Rith; Rob Lasky; Aaron Siu; Austin Walsh
Subject: Petition · Stop Canadian Geese Culling · Change.org Date: Monday, May 2, 2022 3:39:17 PM
I have collected over 200 signatures from local residents who oppose the Foster City’s Council’s intention to cull Canadian geese. You can find their signatures in the link below. https://www.change.org/p/foster-city-council-stop-canadian-geese-culling Additionally, there is a very active discussion on the Nextdoor app from dozens of residents who strongly oppose this barbaric attempt to kill hundreds of innocent migratory birds. You can find their comments if you search for this petition in the app. I hope that the Council members will drop these measures in light of the overwhelming opposition. If they do not, the residents will escalate their fight.
Sent from my iPhone